10 ways to get children involved in the election

Adults are not the only ones to feel the energy and excitement of an election season; children do as well. Here is a list of suggestions for how to involve your children and to help them understand what the election is all about include:

Depending on the age and development of your child, offer information on the election, why we have an election, and who the choices are for President. Check out election websites together such as Scholastic News Election 2016 (election.scholastic.com/) or Time for Kids Election 2016 (timeforkids.org) that help to explain election related issues in a child-friendly manner.

Create your own election at home. Work together to create an election box, ballots, and give your children a chance to vote.

Visit the Gerald R. Ford Library located on the North Campus of University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, at 1000 Beal Avenue. Bring your high schooler to attend a special event related to politics; November 1 at 7:30pm Author Michael A. Cohen will speak on the 1968 Election and on November 16 at 7:30pm Historian Leah Wright Rigueur will present on the Republican Party at a Racial Crossroads.

Ask your children to make a hypothesis for who will win the Presidency. Incorporate math skills by looking up how many electoral votes are for each state and how many the candidate they choose will need in order to win.

Ask your child what they would do if they were President. Help them create a list of all the ideas they would want to implement.

Attend Run For Office at the Ypsilanti District Library, 8795 MacArthur Blvd. on Saturday, November 5 from 2-3pm. Children can create a campaign poster and tell why they should be President.

Look up who the local officials are for your city or Washtenaw County and discuss what their responsibilities include.

When driving in the car together or riding bikes, look for election signs in yards and on posters. Make it a game and count how many you find.

Ann Arbor Public Schools is closed for Election Day on Tuesday, November 8. Sign your child up for Election Day at Flipside Art Studio at 255 E. Liberty St. in Ann Arbor. Flipside is hosting an event from 8:30am-4:30pm for children of all ages with the cost of $75. Some of the event activities include creating red, white, and blue collage and mixed media art and “vote for me” posters.

As United States citizens, living in a country and having a right to vote for our President and elected officials is a beautiful privilege that we, as parents, can help to instill in the next generation.